Laurin Edwards, 19, fatally shot by father, James Edwards

Nearly 200 mourners attended the funeral mass Thursday for a young Shaler woman who was killed by her own father in a murder-suicide.

Laurin Edwards was killed by her father, 52-year-old James Edwards, on Aug. 22, just hours after they celebrated her 19th birthday.

"Laurin? Just a very sweet and innocent young girl. Very kind and compassionate," remembered Neil Pilewski, a family friend. "She truly is an angel. She is. And I know that her mother and brother are going to miss her very dearly."

The Edwards family of Shaler Township was shattered by the rage of its father. James Edwards took his own life after trying to kill them all, police said.

Friends and family who gathered for the funeral mass mourned a young life lost. They also prayed for the survivors of the family's tragedy. James Edwards critically wounded his wife, Charlene Edwards, and their 21-year-old son, Jimmy Edwards. They both survived and attended Laurin Edwards' funeral mass at All Saints Parish in Etna.

"It's a miracle in itself that Jimmy and Charlene are still here, and they're doing absolutely fantastic because they have each other. I'm so proud of Jimmy," said Pilewski. He said Jimmy Edwards took five gunshots in the stomach at his dad James' hands.

"I just remember seeing him on that first day. He had tubes in his mouth, he was in a medically induced coma, and he was struggling, Very difficult, and I almost broke down and cried right there too."

Pilewski marvels at his friend's physical and emotional recovery.

"We said, 'Jimmy, how do you feel about this?' He says, 'I'm able to talk about it because it makes me feel better.' I give him all the credit in the world, because he's been so brave throughout this whole scenario."

Friends and family regard Jimmy Edwards and Charlene Edwards as heroic survivors.

"That's all their going to have is each other right now. But they have all of us, too, despite everything going on here. They have a lot of people, a lot of faith, a lot of prayers," said Pilewski.

Laurin Edwards' remains were cremated on an earlier date. Her funeral mass was delayed until her mother and brother were strong enough to attend.

called 9-1-1. police are still looking for his killer. 3 REMEMBERING LAURIN EDWARDS... THE YOUNG SHALER WOMAN-- KILLED BY HER OWN FATHER IN A MURDER- SUICIDE!! ACTION NEWS REPORTER BOB MAYO-- WAS THERE AS NEARLY 200 MOURNERS CAME OUT FOR A FUNERAL MASS IN HER HONOR TODAY!! 3 NEARLY 200 MOURNERS FILLED ETNA'S ALL SAINTS THIS SHALER FAMILY WAS SHATTERED BY FATHER. 52-YEAR OLD JAMES EDWARDS TOOK HIS OWN LIFE AFTER TRYING TO KILL THEM ALL.HE DID KILL DAUGHTER LAURIN EDWARDS, HOURS AFTER HER 19th BIRTHDAY. 3 NEIL PILEWSKI, A FAMILY FRIEND, 3 HERE YOU SEE MOTHER CHARLENE EDWARDS AND 21-YEAR SON OLD JIMMY EXITING LAURIN'S FUNERAL MASS. 3 HE SAYS JIMMY EDWARDS TOOK FIVE GUNSHOTS IN THE STOMACH AT HIS DAD JAMES' HANDS. PILEWSKI 3 MARVELS AT HIS FRIEND'S PHYSICAL RECOVERY.FRIENDS AND FAMILY 3 REGARD JIMMY AND CHARLENE EDWARDS AS HEROIC SURVIVORS. 3 LAURIN'S FUNERAL WAS DELAYED UNTIL MOTHER AND BROTHER WERE STRONG ENOUGH TO ATTEND.BOB MAYO, CHANNEL FOUR ACTION NEWS. 3